The Patriots “wasted no time capitalizing on one of the NFL’s most marketable players,” as they offered fans “a chance to preorder" a jersey of QB Tim Tebow just moments after he officially signed with the team yesterday, according to Callum Borchers of the BOSTON GLOBE. The team “declined to say how many jerseys they sold on the first day.” Tebow ranked “fifth in the league in jersey sales as a Denver Broncos rookie in 2010 and second in 2011 -- ahead of Tom Brady both seasons -- despite starting less than half of his team’s games during that span.” Tebow last year with the Jets “never started and threw only eight passes all season, but still had the 13th best-selling jersey in the NFL.” His Q Score last year put him "in the same echelon" as Heat F LeBron James (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/12). In Boston, Donna Goodison notes Forbes last month named Tebow America’s most-influential athlete and his status “may prove to be more of a phenom off the field than on, with more than 2 million followers each on Twitter and Facebook.” Sales were “expected to be brisk when the Patriots ProShop started taking pre-orders of his new No. 5 jersey yesterday” (BOSTON HERALD, 6/12).
CIRCUS SOLD OUT: In New Jersey, Tara Sullivan writes Tebow’s first day with the Patriots “quickly reminded us how differently New England will handle his presence than the Jets did.” Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s opening statement “didn’t mention his newest acquisition,” and numerous questions "didn’t elicit much more information as Belichick deflected inquiries about Tebow’s role and position." Belichick eventually "redirected the conversation to the rest of his roster” (Bergen RECORD, 6/12). In Orlando, George Diaz writes Tebowmania is “on life support, taking its last few breaths, while also sucking the air out of those incessant ESPN updates.” Belichick is “too crafty and controlling to allow the Tebowmania circus to pitch its tent in New England, just as it did in Denver and New York” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/12). In Miami, Linda Robertson writes Belichick “won’t court the circus the way” Jets coach Rex Ryan did, and Belichick might even “kick the tent poles down, in fact.” Belichick may serve Tebow “with a gag order, so as to minimize polarizing comments" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/12).
